


Four Wolves

by Mat_Neptune



Series: Red Dead: Four Wolves [1]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Arthur is bad at emotions but he cares for his brother, Gen, M/M, Werewolf Brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 13:08:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20908178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mat_Neptune/pseuds/Mat_Neptune
Summary: At Horseshoe Overlook, Arthur asks John why he got so messed up by the wolves up in the Grizzlies. John refuses to tell him, while Dutch and Hosea plan for the upcoming full moon. John's recovery is slow, they all need him to speak up about his problems NOW, before he gets hurt again.





	Four Wolves

The van der Linde gang made refuge in Horseshoe Overlook by Valentine, New Hanover. It had been about a week since they were in the mountains, nearly freezing and starving to death. Arthur has never been a good hunter, not with weapons, and thanks to Charles, that changed. Arthur brings back many deer, turkeys, and rabbits for the camp to eat. Despite what everyone says, Pearson’s cooking is actually enjoyable. 

It’s not perfect, but everyone is comfortable and thriving at Horseshoe Overlook. 

“Marston, I’ve been meaning to ask ya’...” Arthur approaches his little brother, John, with fucked up stitches on his face. “What happened with them wolves in the mountains?”

John cleared his throat as if to say something, but didn’t. He idled, trying to blow off Arthur’s question by finding some work to do. But the fact of the matter is John has nothing to do. He can walk and take care of himself, but he’s still far too weak to help much around camp. 

Arthur stood there, staring at John until he spoke. “Well…” his raspy voice began, but stopped. 

“** _Well?_ **”

“Maybe they felt threatened…” 

“John.”

“They were wolves, Arthur, not much I could do… just- stop bothering me about it.”

“Marston!” He yells, then realizing that everyone in camp has eyes on them. Heat rose to the backs of their necks as embarrassment settled in their faces.“Let’s talk below the cliff.” Arthur growls between his teeth.

“I’m not leaving camp.”

Arthur gives up, frustration on the brink of spilling over. “Fine, but I’ll get an answer one way or another, John.” He walks off, getting on his horse, riding out of camp, out of mind.

Sitting by the cliff, John slumps against a rock with his hat over his head, sleeping without a coat or anything to keep him warm. He stays there, doing his best to ignore the pain in his face and the chill of the day. Forty-eight degrees fahrenheit is colder than you’d think when you got no coat. A sudden drop of weight on his chest causes John to jolt upright, flicking his hat off his head. 

His boy, Little Jack stands there with a smile on his face, sweet as a strawberry. “Here papa! You looked cold.” 

John looks down to his forearms, his skin covered in goosebumps from the cold. “Uhh… thanks.” He huffs, slumping back down with the jacket around his arms, his hat returning to his face. “Go play now, Jack.” 

“Okay…” The boy seems sad, his presence leaving John’s side, which feels colder now. 

* * *

At night, just outside of Dutch’s tent, Hosea talks with him. Molly is inside, already asleep, and the camp seems like embers as everyone tires down to rest. “I’m worried about John.” The blond finally says. “He shouldn’t be so weak, well, I mean the boy did nearly die in those mountains but still.”

Dutch smokes his cigar, which is nearly finished. “I agree, John should be better already…” 

“Dutch…” Hosea’s voice washes over him like vanilla. “The full moon is in two and a half weeks.” 

“Yes, I know. John should be up for travel by then, at the least, he’ll ride with Arthur.” 

“Cumberland forest?”

“That seems best.” Dutch stands, flicking away the last tiny bit of his cigar. “You go rest, old man.” He places a hand on Hosea’s shoulder, looking into his eyes a moment too long. 

Hosea leans forward and carefully, slowly, kisses the corner of Dutch’s mouth, not quite on the cheek, and not on his lips. Dutch has the lovely smell of tobacco lingering to him, Hosea breaths slowly. 

“Hosea…” Dutch breathless. He turns his face so the older man will kiss him fully, but that’s when he backs away. Dutch is left disappointed, Hosea’s eyes stick to the ground as he walks to his bedroll. 

* * *

Another week passes. Hosea takes Arthur back into the Grizzlies to hunt a thousand pound bear, helping him hunt with that bow Charles gave him. After they’ve warmed their bellies with food and a bit of whiskey, they lay close to the fire. Hosea mutters to himself about something, but Arthur catches it. 

“What’s this about ‘in four days’?” 

“The full moon, Arthur. Dutch and I are taking you boys to Cumberland Forest. I have been meaning to ask,” Hosea turns to look at Arthur from his bedroll. “John doesn’t have a new horse yet, would you let him ride with you?” 

“I’m… probably. Why not with you?” 

“Because he’s _ your _brother, Arthur.” 

He rolls his nose at that. “I don’t want greasy Marston on my horse.” 

Hosea sighs, closing his eyes. “Whatever, Arthur. Just go to sleep.”

* * *

The day of the full moon makes the four mens’ blood boil. They’re constantly feeling nauseous, too hot in the chilled weather, and Dutch keeps pacing around his tent until his stomach twists. Hosea tells the three to find old clothes that they don’t mind getting destroyed and put them on. John feels sheepish at first, but soon finds _ something _. Arthur finds old worker clothes in his trunk, and for Dutch, the man’s pride is injured. 

Around 5 pm, they decide it’s time to go, but they need an extra person. “Charles,” Arthur calls. “We need ya’ here for somethin’.” 

“What is it?” Charles looks at the four with interest. 

Suddenly the four don’t know how to word this out. “We need you to bring our horses back to camp.” Dutch speaks up.

“O...kay? For what reason?”

“It don’t matter, all we need of you is that one thing. Will you do this?” Hosea holds the reigns of Silver Dollar, his body becoming impatient. 

“Well, okay…”

Arthur rides out, following Dutch and Hosea with John on his back and Charles at his side. They ride out into the plains to warp around and away from Valentine. The boys make small conversation, Charles being very curious on so many things. Why exactly they need him to take the horses back. Why they’re wearing dirty old clothes that half of them have moth holes. And why at this hour? 

Finally, they find the most remote part of Cumberland Forest. Arthur puts his hat in his horse’s saddle bag, Hosea with his own and his jacket, and Dutch the same. “Now Charles, please, don’t come looking for us. We’re fine.” Hosea reassures him, though that only sparks more questions in the young man’s mind. 

“I’ll… see you in a few days then?” Charles waves them away and rides off.

“That was mighty awkward.” Arthur grumbles, walking further into the woods. “I’m ready for this, I feel sick.”

“Yeah…” John quietly complies, realizing he messed up by making his presence known, because all eyes are on him.

“What happened on that mountain, John?” Dutch demands answers. 

“They weren’t_ just wolves _, Marston. What’s going on?” Arthur barks at him.

John swallows, his eyes darting to Hosea for console, but no. Everyone demands answers. “I…” John’s stomach twists as the sun finally dips down. “I haven’t been so good when…” He falls to his hands and knees, gasping through the pain in his gut. 

Dutch feels a pain in his stomach, he steadies himself on the ground with his toes in the dirt. He hunches his back, growling like thunder. His whole body warps into something else, Hosea and Arthur’s bodies minick his actions, shifting into beasts. John in left breathless, watching his fathers and brother turn, yet he’s still stuck.

“What’s going on John?” Hosea’s voice doesn’t pick up as any human tongue, but instead as long high pitched sound. 

John closes his eyes, letting the pain sink in. He doesn’t ignore it anymore, he feels every part of his body, every nerve and lets it explode. He roars as his body twists and changes, forming him into a beast. But he’s more of a pup, his ears slumped down and tail between his legs. 

John looks at his pathetic excuse for a body and runs off into the woods, _ John! _ being heard behind him. John hides inside a very large log, sulking, now realizing how hungry he is. They’re out here to _ hunt _, yet he has no motivation to do so.

“I’m a failure.” 

“You’re not a failure, Marston.” Arthur’s ringing catches his ears. He sits outside the log, scanning the forest for animals to catch and eat.

“Then why couldn’t I defend myself on that mountain? Why did I get so scared that I stayed in my human body and nearly got torn to shreds?”

“Marston.” Arthur says more sternly. “Only you can answer that. Tell us what’s wrong wi-”

“I got shot, okay?” John growls. 

“Uhh.. so?” 

“By Pinkertons.”

Arthur suddenly understands. Pinkertons know about Dutch van der Linde being a werewolf, but they keep it a secret from the world, making sure no one will take him down but the law. Pinkertons use silver bullets when fighting Dutch, Hosea, Arthur and John. 

“When was that? Like… how far of Blackwater were we?”

“Not that far, they got me in the ankle. I was on my horse the whole time, plus we heal pretty easy. I didn’t think anything of it.”

“Is the bullet still in you?”

“Hell no, it went clean through.” John slowly emerges from the log, slumping next to Arthur, to show him his hind left ankle. Being the good brother he is, despite insisting he’s not, Arthur licks at the wound, John’s ears going back as he whimpers like a sad pup. 

“Ya could’ve told us.” Arthur huffs.

“We’re on the run…” 

“That’s no excuse,” Hosea slumps down next to John, resting his chin on John’s back. “You’ve got to tell us if something’s wrong. We’re the only ones like you.”

Dutch finally strides over, plopping rabbit from his mouth. “Are we going to hunt or not?” 

* * *

Before the sun came up, the four men ran all the way back to camp before anyone noticed them, shedding their wolf bodies and dressing in their normal, comfortable clothes. However, everyone seemed to notice the blood stuck to their teeth and the dirt on their hands. 

“What in heaven’s name have you boys been up to?!” Grimshaw hisses at them, as they stride past her to clean up. She doesn’t take that lightly, she hates being ignored. 

John washes his face, soon remembering about the stitches. “What do ya think, time for me to take these out?” 

The others look over his face, still clearly sensitive and deep. “No,” Hosea says. “No, with how your body is… _ behaving _, I don’t think it’s wise to do that yet.”

Dutch pats John’s back, retiring to his tent for a nap and some time with Molly. Hosea goes off to do his own thing with the camp members, Arthur ready to venture off to dangerous territory to save Sean’s hide.

“Congratulations, John,” Arthur firmly pats his shoulder. “You get to be more human than any of us.” 

More human… is that what John really wants? 


End file.
